25 October 2024 09:42 am Views - 51
By Upali Ananda
The case against former State Minister Lohan Ratwatte in connection with threatening and intimidating with death a Tamil detainee in Anuradhapura prisons was taken up yesterday before Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate and Addl. District Judge Nalaka Sanjeewa Jayasuriya.
The suspect former State Minister was present in open court.
The suspect is alleged to have on September 12, 2021 visited Anuradhapura prisons at night and taken out the prisoner and threatened and intimidated him with death at pistol point.
The investigation report of the incident was produced in court by the Department of Prisons on the previous order of the magistrate.
The magistrate ordered the Colombo Crime Investigation Division to provide copies of evidence of several state witnesses to the lawyers appearing for the suspect. Crime Investigation Division informed court that a charge sheet against the suspect would be filed.
The magistrate ordered the first and the seventh witnesses to appear in court and give evidence on January 30, 2025.
The case was postponed for January 30, 2025.
State Counsel Samadari Piyasena with OIC Crime Investigation Division CI Anslem De Silva and SI A.H.L.Sumanasiri made submissions for the state. Attorney at Law Nuwan D Alwis, Nissanka Peiris and President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis appeared for the suspect while President’s Counsel M.A.Sumathiran with Attorneys at Law Kesawan Sajandan watched the interests of the aggrieved party.